1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automated feed assembly for use with a manually-operated pack seal tester. More particularly, the present invention relates to an automated feed assembly for use with a manually-operated pack seal tester, wherein a plurality of sealed packs are stacked therein and advanced therethrough under the influence of gravity.
2. Description of the Related Art
Packages of cigarettes are often wrapped with a transparent film of polyethylene or other similar material to preserve freshness of the cigarettes contained therein. The manufacturing, assembly and wrapping of the cigarette packages is oftentimes performed at high rates of speed. It is therefore imperative that the wrapped cigarette packages be closely monitored to ensure that they conform to preselected quality control standards.
One such specification, such as, for example, the integrity of the freshness seal provided by the wrapping, is monitored by an operator's periodically removing a sample cigarette package from those being produced and testing the seal integrity with a manual pack seal tester. Typically, a small perforation is made through the wrapping and a vacuum is drawn therethrough so that an interior region of the wrapping is subjected to an inwardly-directed vacuum having a predetermined force. The sample cigarette package passes the quality control test if the wrapping withstands the force of the vacuum and is not destroyed thereby. It is therefore desirable to provide an automated feed assembly for feeding a plurality of packages of wrapped cigarettes to a pack seal tester.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,991,879 to Innocenti teaches a sealed-package wrapper end tester having mechanical plungers to transport cigarette packages between two parallel channel systems along a horizontal panel. However, it is further desirable to provide an automated feed assembly for feeding a plurality of packages of wrapped cigarettes to a pack seal tester, wherein the plurality of cigarette packages are vertically advanced through the automated test assembly under the influence of gravity.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,072 to Von Wichert, et al., teaches an apparatus for intermittently moving a plurality of stacks of cigarette packages along a horizontal path, wherein the stacks are fed onto the horizontal path by a vertical elevator assembly. However, it is further desirable to provide an automated feed assembly for feeding a plurality of packages of wrapped cigarettes to a pack seal tester, wherein the automated feed assembly includes an automated testing apparatus attached thereto.